North Vancouver's own political BLOG dedicated to North Vancouver's political players and the decisions that shape our community.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

No High-rise wanted

While I was out taking photos of the beautiful flower bed at Arthur Smith Park in Lynn Valley I came across this spirited cardboard sign attached to the lamp standard. Since there is no identity I wonder who took the time to do this and what their perspective is on this issue.

High rises are not appropriate for our community. It's not too late but it will take some work to prevent the towers from going ahead. Now is the time to protect the Lynn Valley we all know & love. Some density is appropriate, but not towers. We need to let the council know.

The Official Community Plan subscribes to the notion that we MUST plan for INIFINITE GROWTH.

Why do I say this? Because, the only justification for continued densification and dense town centres, is that we must accommodate the 'expected growth' on the North Shore.You cannot have growth without more housing. So the reason the growth is 'expected' is because the council and developers are 'expecting' to build more housing. There is NOTHING AT ALL in the OCP that states when this growth will end...therefore... it is a plan for INFINITE GROWTH. This in itself is very bad planning as it is destined to destroy the character of the North Shore. That alone should have been enough not to go this route. However, to commit to high towers, crowded town centres ( densification!) and increased traffic is of absolutely no benefit to the present owners of North Shore housing, namely you and I.And isn't concrete towers, crowding and traffic ( like METROTOWN!) what we came to the North Shore to escape? Isnt that why we pay extra to live here?

Now truly infinite growth certainly is not possible, I agree, but then, what halts growth? Is it that we build until the place is as crowded as Taiwan? Do we really want a Metrotown on the North Shore?Since there is nothing at all in the OCP planning process that reveals what will finally finish off the planned growth and accompanying densification, we have to assume that future councils, following the OCP, using the same logic, will again use the same arguments, that there is 'expected growth' that must be planned for and they will increase density again and again. That indeed IS planning for infinite growth as impossible as that may be.

I don't want Lynn Valley Village to become Metrotown. Sorry if that offends you.

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